


Shumako Week 2021

by Legendarymasterwolf



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29912775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Legendarymasterwolf/pseuds/Legendarymasterwolf
Summary: Finally decided to really get back into writing with one of my favorite ships, especially now that I've started Strikers.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kitagawa Yusuke/Sakura Futaba, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist, Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann
Kudos: 13
Collections: ShuMako Week 2021





	1. Day 1: Doubt and Trust/Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day for Shumako Week, let's do this!
> 
> On the day Ren reveals the plan to trick Akechi worked by showing up alive at Leblanc, Makoto worries about what he went through and how their reunion will go.
> 
> Sweet moments sprinkled among the angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished Royal last week and I'm playing through Strikers at the moment, taking a break to write this.
> 
> And awaaaaaaaaaaay we go!

This had to be the most stressful day of Makoto's life.

She had no reason to be. Everything was going according to plan. Ren appeared to have committed suicide to the rest of the world while the Phantom Thieves themselves knew he had narrowly avoided being assassinated by Akechi underneath a police precinct. It was just like they'd said in the plan. So why the hell was she so stressed out? All this waiting around Leblanc was doing nothing for her.

Ann noticed her friend's discomfort and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Makoto, he's alright, okay? He'll be right here and then you can slap him silly for worrying you. Everything's going to be fine."

"Stop it. It won't." Makoto took a deep, shuddering breath. "Ann, he was in that cell for a full day. I can't even begin to imagine the torture those cops put him through, and it's my fault he suffered." She put her head in her hands. "God, he must hate me for this."

"Makoto." She looked up. Ryuji was standing next to Ann, a sympathetic look on his face. "C'mon. It's Ren we're talkin' about here. He's gonna walk in with that Joker grin of his and we'll all have a good laugh about how we fooled that bastard Akechi." He grinned. "And trust me, the dude doesn't hate you. You should hear how he talks about you when we're hangin' out. He went on about you for a solid five minutes once. Didn't notice until I told him, and that was before you two started datin'. He's effin' nuts about you."

Makoto smiled. "Thanks, Ryuji. I needed that."

Morgana chuckled. "Well, Ryuji, you finally did something useful for a change."

"Shut the hell up, Morgana."

____________________

Sure enough, Ren walked into Leblanc with Sojiro a half hour later, albeit with several cuts and bruises. Ryuji went to greet him, but Makoto immediately brushed past him and pulled Ren into a bone-crushing hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Ren, it's all my fault..."

"Shhhh, Makoto, it's alright, I'm here." He pulled back a little to look at her face. "I'm so sorry for worrying you."

"Why are you the one apologizing?" She tried to fight back tears. "My stupid plan nearly got you killed."

"Hey." Ren caressed her face with his hand. It felt surprisingly smooth to her touch. "Your stupid plan saved my life. And I wouldn't have gone along with it if I didn't have absolute faith that it would work. I trust you, so quit beating yourself up for what happened. This is a win for us."

Makoto sniffed. "Right." She pulled him back into the hug. "I'm just glad you're alive."

Ren returned the hug. "So am I."

Both were silently shedding tears of relief as they embraced, an act that was only noticed by the remaining Phantom Thieves, Sojiro, and Sae. Ryuji came to embrace the pair, followed by Futaba, then Ann, then Haru, then Yusuke. Morgana curled around everyone's legs. Everyone was silently crying, including the two remaining onlookers, relieved that their leader was still alive after all he had been through.

But none were more relieved than the pair at the center of the embrace. And they were gripping each other far tighter than the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot to headcanon when that screen goes to black for a second or two.
> 
> That's it for day 1! Hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> Be sure to leave a like and feedback!
> 
> Until tomorrow!


	2. Day 2: Teasing/Parenthood/Team Mom and Dad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The expecting couple prepare for the arrival of a new addition to their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't hard to figure out what I wanted for today when I saw the prompt.
> 
> Just happy expecting parents and their cat.
> 
> And awaaaaaaaaaay we go!

"I'm serious, you guys should have just asked the doctor..."

"Morgana, stop trying to spoil the surprise, we'll find out when they're born."

Makoto sighed as she watched the pair squabble over paints. Morgana and Ren were trying to decide which one would be better to use for the baby's room and neither could agree on a color. They had been going back and forth on it for the past 10 minutes and it was starting to get on her nerves.

"Boys, please. Can we just go with something light? It won't matter what gender the baby is." She touched her stomach as she said this, smiling. It was hard to believe that she was 18 weeks along already. It seemed like yesterday that Ren was tearing up and caressing her then flat belly when he heard the news.

At the moment, he seemed relieved to finally have an out from the argument. "Sounds good, I was thinking something blue..."

Morgana groaned. "But what's wrong with purple, or green, or red? Ren, I'm telling you, just find out if it's a boy or girl and..."

"Alright, that's it. I'll go crazy if I have to listen to you fight about this anymore, so we're going with light blue." She rubbed her temples in exasperation. "Ren, honey, do we have any?"

"No, not here, anyway." Ren gave a meek smile. "I'll go get more from the storage room. Back in a minute, okay?" He kissed Makoto on the cheek before leaving the room.

Morgana stretched and yawned before walking over to where she was sitting. "Why don't you want to learn if it's a boy or a girl? I'm sure it wouldn't make much difference either way."

"Well, it won't, you're right, but still," she ran a hand over her baby bump, "I want our little one to be as free as possible. I don't want to tie them down with constraints of any kind, whether it's a future career or something as trivial as gender, I want them to know they'll be supported no matter what."

Morgana smiled. "Aw, that's nice of you guys. You'll make fantastic parents, and I'll try to be a good uncle."

"Morgana..."

"Yeah, I know, 'Uncle Mona' is a bit of a stretch, though if they do enter the Metaverse at all..."

"No, Morgana," she had an excited look on her face as she held her belly, "get Ren."

Having no idea what was going on, Morgana screamed out the door, "Ren, get in here! Some weird human thing is happening to Makoto and I don't know what it is!"

Right on cue, Ren dashed back into the room with a look of fear. "What happened, is the baby alright?!"

Makoto chuckled and shook her head. "Everything's fine, no worries. Come over here." She beckoned him over. "Put your hand on my belly."

Ren did as he was told. A few seconds later, he felt a movement from her belly that he realized was a kick. He put his free hand to his mouth. "Oh my god."

Makoto nodded, beaming. "Yeah, they're kicking. I knew it was supposed to start happening soon, but-", she broke off when she noticed Ren crying, "Ren? Are you alright?"

He nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Yeah, I think it's really hitting me now." He pulled his wife into a hug. "We're going to be parents. We're really going to be parents."

Makoto gladly returned the hug, shedding tears of her own. "Yes, yes, we are."

Morgana slunk up to the couple. "Hey, Makoto? Sorry to interrupt, but...can I...feel your belly?"

She smiled. "Of course you can." The being from the Velvet Room put a paw on her belly and immediately jumped, causing her to giggle. "Yeah, that's the baby kicking."

Morgana began purring, curling up next to Makoto. "It feels nice. I can't wait to meet them."

Ren and Makoto gazed at each other in pure bliss. "Neither can we."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a lot of fluff with this one and Ren trying to hold it together.
> 
> Expect much more fluff tomorrow!
> 
> Be sure to leave kudos and feedback!
> 
> Until then!


	3. Day 3: Arguments and Making Up/King and Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set in between the hot springs scene in Strikers and the arrest of Zenkichi, Makoto tries to apologize to Ren for overreacting, among a few other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my fix to one of the most OOC scenes in Strikers.
> 
> And awaaaaaaaaaay we go!

This summer vacation certainly hadn't been going like she had imagined, but this had to be one of the more unexpected things that had occurred so far, Makoto thought as she walked down the hall to the boys' room. Yes, had they been random strangers, that reaction from her would be warranted, but it was Ren she was thinking about here. Plus, no one respected women like Ryuji and even Yusuke, despite his tendency to be weird, still had the decency to respect boundaries. Even Morgana, as much as he lusted for Ann, would never do something like that, so why had she overreacted like that when they caught the boys sneaking out of the baths?

She sighed. Even after their talk on the Ferris Wheel in Sapporo and hanging out with each other, things were still a little weird between her and her boyfriend and she had no idea why. Was it the time they spent apart, the distance between them during that time, or was it, as she feared, that they no longer cared for each other in the same way as before?

Makoto shook her head. _Stop it, there's no way he thinks that, it's just been a while, that's all._ Besides, if he hadn't cared, would they even have gone on the Ferris Wheel to begin with?

She stopped outside of the boys' room and knocked on the door. "Ren? It's me. I just want to talk, can you please let me in?"

The door opened and Ren stood in the doorway, holding an icepack to his ribs with a smile on his face. Or was it a grimace? No, definitely a smile, she'd recognize that coy look of his anywhere. "C'mon in." He gestured inside. Makoto took a deep breath and entered.

She looked around. "Where are the others?"

Ren set himself down on the bed, wincing as he did so. "Ann came by to talk to Ryuji, Futaba came by to talk to Yusuke, and Haru came by to talk to Morgana, so I figured I'm next and should just stay here."

Makoto smiled for a moment. "Well, you're right. We all came to apologize."

Ren waved his free hand. "Makoto, it's fine, really. You were all in the right there."

She shook her head. "No, I should have listened to you all first. I should have known none of you would have been there without a good reason, but instead, I overreacted. Besides...that's not the only thing I came to apologize for." When he looked at her quizzically, she continued. "This whole time, ever since you got back to Tokyo, I feel like I haven't been giving you enough attention. I feel like I've been neglecting our relationship, refusing to acknowledge it, even. Back in Okinawa, when Zenkichi assumed we were dating, I immediately said we were just friends. I'm sorry for that and I don't know if it's because of the distance between us since you left or some other unspoken thing between us, but whatever it is, I feel like we should talk it out." She paused. "Am I being too dramatic right now?"

Ren smiled and shook his head, scooting over to make space for her on the bed. "Not at all, come on, take the weight off your feet." She did so. "I know why you're thinking that way, I get it, but there's nothing weird between us. All I wanted to do was give you some space when I got back. I didn't want to be open about our relationship with everyone else if you weren't comfortable with it."

Makoto smiled. "Ren, thank you. That's sweet."

He brought his free hand up to her face. "If you want to take it slow when we're in public, I'm fine with that. But in private, if it's alright with you, I want to pick up where we left off when I left back in March. So, would you be fine with considering our Ferris Wheel date as a prelude to starting again?"

Her face went red. "W-w-well, of course, I'd love t-t-that."

Ren flashed his Joker grin as he brought his face closer to hers. "You're adorable."

"Oh, hush, you." She closed the distance between them and brought her lips to his. It was as if that tiny spark that was their relationship had burst into flame once again. Makoto remembered the taste of Ren's lips and how she used to melt into them, like she did now, her hands on his shoulders, his one unoccupied arm wrapped around her waist. They were like that for a few minutes before they released lips, resting their foreheads against each other. "So, if you're in favor, let's call the Ferris Wheel us checking back in with each other. I want this moment to be us rekindling our relationship."

There was that Joker grin again. "Of course, my Queen. Anything for you."

Makoto chuckled and shook her head. "Glad to hear it, Joker." She pulled him into a hug. "God, that turned out much better than I thought it would. I hope everyone else is doing okay now."

Ren pulled back to look at her. "No worries, I'm sure things are going fine for Futaba and Yusuke." When he saw her shock at his realization, he pushed on. "It wasn't that hard to figure out, honestly. They're talking and hanging out a lot more than when I left. Plus, there was a moment back in Sendai."

Makoto just nodded in surprise. She sometimes forgot how sharp he could be sometimes. "Well, yes, that's true. Also, Ann's going to confess to Ryuji at some point before summer vacation is over."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Well, about damn time, too. What about Haru? Does she have anyone special?"

And with that, they were off again, talking like they used to when she had stayed at Leblanc on any occasion she was under a ton of stress, like with Sae, a Phantom Thief plan, or something else, and the only thing to relieve it would be to talk to Ren about nothing or everything, whichever helped. Granted, said peace would soon be interrupted by Zenkichi screaming outside for them to run, but in the moment, with him, Makoto finally felt pure bliss for the first time in a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It didn't feel right just leaving that scene as it was, so I added a little interlude that made sense, at least to me.
> 
> Tomorrow, an idea I've been thinking about for a while now.
> 
> Feedback and kudos are appreciated!
> 
> Until then!


	4. Day 4: Free Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After taking down a surprise Palace that interrupted an otherwise perfect vacation, Ren makes a decision about his relationship with Makoto that he's been mulling over for some time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been thinking about this one for a while now. Set when the gang are all in their 20s, fresh out of college.
> 
> This is gonna be a sweet one.
> 
> And awaaaaaaaaaaay we go!

The way this vacation turned out had been unexpected, but in the end, everything had turned out all right, as far as Ren was concerned.

The Phantom Thieves had come to the resort in the mountains to get away from Tokyo for a week and relax with skiing, hot chocolate by a roaring fire, and quality time with each other (especially when it came to the couples). That relaxation had been ruined when the gang realized there was a Palace out here, forcing them to investigate, a shame for Ren, especially since it had ruined his own plans with Makoto. In the end, though, they had just finished the Palace, a prison (not a Jail), with four days to spare in their vacation. The Palace ruler had just been defeated, groveling at the knees and promising he would change, as usual. At the moment, Ren was only half-listening. It was a shame that his plans had been ruined, but hey, at least he got more time with his friends out of this trip. And Makoto, of course, spending time with her was always perfect. His day could have been terrible and the whole world could be against him and just some time with her could make it all melt away.

He was thinking about this as the Palace ruler in question, Abhuraya, was going on his monologue about how he had been alone for most of his life and tried to hold people close to him, far too close, while the rest of the gang gave their own input. Ren had already given his own, but there was still a lot to think about regarding his own future. Suddenly, thinking on Abhuraya's words, everything seemed clear.

Morgana was finishing up with his own input to the ruler. "Alright, now that that's done, let's take the treasure and-"

"Mona, wait." Ren motioned to his old friend to stop. "Can we hold off stealing the treasure for just 10 more minutes? There's something I want to do first."

Morgana raised an eyebrow. "Joker, what in the hell could you want to do wi-?" Then, he suddenly realized. "Ah, I see. In that case, I'll give you 20 minutes."

Ren flashed that Joker grin of his. "Perfect. Queen, can I borrow you for a moment?"

Makoto seemed to be taken aback for a second before relenting. "Alright, but whatever it is, we can't wait too long, Joker." She followed him out while the rest of the group tried to determine the reason behind their leader's sudden decision, some more successful than others.

She followed him to a nearby balcony overlooking the prison's exercise yard. Beyond it was the cognition outside the palace, where snow-capped peaks covered everything as far as the eye could see. It was a beautiful sight to behold, that was for sure. She still had no idea why Ren wanted her out here, but she couldn't deny it was a breathtaking view all the same. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Despite the Palace, I mean."

Ren smiled. "Yeah. It's breathtaking." He took a deep breath and turned to her, removing his mask as he did so. "Makoto, my second year of high school in a new town, you threatened me on a rooftop and that was my first introduction to you. From when you blackmailed the Phantom Thieves to when you finally awakened your Persona, I kept thinking of you, and when you joined us, I fell for you. You are a part of my thoughts, my dreams, my every waking moment. You are beautiful, smart, a hell of a tactician." He paused. "And I like your butt. I'm sorry, I had to add that."

Makoto laughed. "No, it's fine, I'm glad you like my butt. But, Joker, what's all this for? Why are we out-?" She stopped when she noticed the one hand behind his back. Her mouth dropped when he got down on one knee.

Ren was still smiling when he flicked open the small box he produced with his obscured hand. "Makoto Niijima, will you spend the rest of your life with me?"

Makoto was at a loss for words. "I-what-when-wait-when were planning on doing this?"

"I wanted to do it at some point during the trip, but then this Palace appeared, and I realized it would be a better place to propose to you."

She shook her head. "Not that I prefer being proposed to with a snowy mountain backdrop, but what made you decide to choose the Metaverse to do it?"

"Well", he paused for a moment, "I noticed you and your strength in the real world, but it was in this one that I fell in love. Right from the moment you told Kaneshiro to shut his damn mouth, you had my eye and my heart. You're a strong woman, Makoto. And I would love nothing more than to marry a woman as powerful as you."

"Joker-" She stopped herself and smiled as she also took off her mask. "No, Ren. Not only have you believed in me from the moment I joined you all, but you have stuck by my side ever since. You have supported my dreams and been a rock for me to lean on when things have been at their darkest. You are not only a good teammate, but a reliable and lovable partner. So, my answer is yes."

She smiled again, tears in her eyes. "Yes, I love you and I will marry you, Ren Amamiya."

Ren's reaction was instantaneous. He got off his knees and pulled his now-fiancée into a tender kiss. Makoto reciprocated the reaction by pulling him in for an equally strong embrace. An embrace that was only interrupted by Makoto breaking it to ask another important question. "Hang on, you did ask for Sae's blessing, right?"

Ren chuckled. "Yes, I made sure to. Then, she took me to your parents' grave to ask for their blessing." He pressing his forehead against hers. "I wish I could have met your folks."

She sniffed, pulling him back into the embrace. "I wish they could have met you, too. They would have loved you." They stayed like that for a minute before she remembered where they were. "Hey, we should probably get going. We can't leave this Palace standing forever."

"Well", Ren smiled coyly, "we do have 15 minutes left, right? Mona did give us 20."

"Oh?" She said, playing along with his charade. "And what did you have in mind?"

_______________________

Fifteen minutes later, the Palace had collapsed and the gang had taken the treasure. They were resting outside the resort when Ryuji asked, "So, what the hell were you guys doing for 20 minutes?"

Ren and Makoto just smiled coyly while she flashed her ring. It took a second for both Ryuji and Ann to react and when they did, they embraced their best friends in bone-crushing hugs. "Ren, you sly bastard! And about effin' time, too!"

Before finally turning their attention to the treasure, the Thieves congratulated them happy couple on their engagement, though not before asking them what they did for the remaining 15 minutes.

The pair just laughed and blushed. Not like anyone ever needed to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do this with every one of my ships at some point or another. Had to do it with Shumako.
> 
> Tomorrow will be a bit darker, but it will still turn out fine in the end.
> 
> Feedback and kudos are appreciated!
> 
> Until then!


	5. Day 5: Wounds and Trauma/Matching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The scars from that day in November still haunt Ren, but he still has his family at this back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turned out a little fluffier than I was expecting, not that I mind.
> 
> And awaaaaaaaaaaaaay we go!

Ren couldn't breathe. The walls seemed to be closing in again, as they did every November. Every year, it was the same thing. Every year, he returned to that interrogation cell. Every year, a cop beat the hell out of him, shot him up full of drugs, and nearly broke his leg to get a confession. And every year, Akechi sneered at him while he put a bullet in cognitive Ren's head. Every year, he put them through this. Every year...

"Ren! Ren, it's okay, I'm here, you're home. Okay? Just breathe, breathe. Deep breaths, deep breaths." Makoto held his hands in hers. The simple action along with her support managed to calm him down. He looked around. He was back in the apartment he shared with his family, in the bed he shared with the woman he loved, once again inconveniencing her with his problems.

"Makoto, I'm so sor-"

She cut him off right there. "No, Ren. We're a family, alright? Our problems are yours, and your problems are ours." She pulled him into a tight hug. "I didn't realize it was November already, sorry. I've been so busy with work it almost slipped my mind until the kids reminded me."

Ren returned the embrace. "It's fine, really. You've been so busy with those new cases that I'd be surprised if you did remember." He sighed. "It's my fault, not yours. I can't believe I still haven't moved past this."

"Honestly", she gripped his nightshirt, "I'd be surprised if you did. You went through hell for a day." Makoto looked into his tortured eyes. "But please, Ren, take all the time you need to get over this. This family will be right here with you. We always will."

Ren buried his head in her shoulder, tears welling in his eyes. "What in the hell did I do to deserve a woman like you?"

She smiled. "I threatened you on a rooftop, got you in trouble with a gang, and you asked me to marry you, more or less."

He chuckled. "I'll be sure to tell the kids the full version when they're older."

As if on cue, there was a knock at their bedroom door. Makoto called for them to enter, and the door opened. It was their two children, Yua and Reo, with Yua holding a very grumpy Morgana in her arms.

Morgana groaned. "Look, Makoto, I don't mind looking after the kids, but could you tell them to stop-" He broke off when he noticed Ren and realized what had transpired. "Well, actually, I'm fine, the kids just had a nightmare again."

"Aw, another nightmare?" Makoto smiled, opening her arms wide. "C'mere, you two, we'll protect you." The beans scurried over to their mother and father, who took them both in loving embraces, while Morgana curled up at the edge of the bed. "Aw, it's okay, we're here. So, what tried to get you this time?"

"It was a monster, Mama", Yua said from Ren's arms, "it was hairy, mean, and ugly, too!"

"Hey!" Ren said in mock offense. "Watch who you call hairy!" He exacted his revenge the only way the family knew how to: tickling.

"Papa!" Yua collapsed laughing into his arms, devolving into a mess of giggles, while her brother did likewise in Makoto's.

Ren kissed her forehead. "Well, glad to know I'm not the only one with a nightmare tonight."

"You had a nightmare, too, Papa?"

"Yeah, sweetie, I did." He sat her down so he was facing her. "I've had this nightmare for a while now." Ren put a hand on Makoto's shoulder. "But your mom keeps me safe from them. You wanna know how?" The beans crept in closer to listen. "By staying next to me. When I have that nightmare, I pull her close to me, and everything is alright." Makoto began to tear up at those words, gripping the hand at her shoulder.

Ren smiled at the support of his loved ones. "Hey, how about you two spend the night here? I can tell you more about the story of Joker and Queen before you fall asleep."

Both beans literally leaped at the chance to hear the story, each snuggling next to their favored parent while Ren began the story. "Alright, where were we when we last left off?"

"Oh, oh!", Reo raised his hand in such an adorable way that it made both Ren and Makoto's hearts stir, "Queen was about to help Joker fight the nasty fly man with the giant flying piggy bank!"

As Ren continued the tale of the Phantom Thieves, at least the abridged version without all the NSFK details, Makoto gazed at his face. He had been through so much in life, suffered through too much, endured far too much pain, yet he always seemed to come out the other side all the better for it with that optimism of his. He was a rock for her, yes, but the inverse was true as well. She and the rest of this family were the one thing that kept him sane, kept him together, kept him anchored.

She snuggled closer to Ren, as did the beans and Morgana, one big happy supportive family that would always have his back, no matter what life would attempt to hurl his way. Those scars were never going away anytime soon, that much was certain, but they would eventually fade with time and love that only they could give him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFK = Not Safe For Kids
> 
> What can I say, I prefer fluff!
> 
> Feedback and kudos are appreciated!
> 
> Until then!


	6. Day 6: Taking Care of Each Other/Travel and Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Makoto take a much needed break when they return to Hawaii for the first time in a while, discussing the future as they do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some post wedding fluff as well as some consideration of the Shumako beans.
> 
> And awaaaaaaaaaaaay we go!

It had been so long since they were here last, Makoto thought as she dug her toes into the warm sand. When she and Ren had come here back during their school trip to Hawaii, they had been dating for about a month, when both of them were still new to being in a relationship. She had admitted she had feelings for him before, but that day on the beach had seemed to solidify the fact that they were a couple. Ever since, they had gotten closer, and every subsequent incident - Okumura's murder, Akechi, Shido, and everything that followed - seemed to bring them closer than before. And now that they had finally gotten married (the ring on her finger still made her giddy), they were spending their honeymoon back in the place where it all first felt real for them.

"Hey, Makoto!" She turned to look at her now-husband, carrying two large plates of shrimp. "I got shrimp again for dinner, but the guy laid on an extra helping again, sorry."

She laughed. "I guess he must like the Japanese. It's alright, Ren. I don't mind the large portions." Makoto took her plate, marveling at the size of the portions from the seller. "Wait a minute, was it still the same seller?"

Ren sighed as he sat down next to her. "Yep, same guy. He's seeing someone now, too. He still remembers us, apparently."

She smiled. "Well, it's good to know he still remembers his customers." She took a bite of the shrimp. "And the shrimp is still delicious, glad to know that hasn't changed."

He took a bite. "You're right, still the same taste as before. Good times." He kissed her forehead before he dug in on his shrimp.

Makoto bit her lip. "That's right. Good times." She started in on her own portion.

_________________________

After finishing the massive portions of shrimp, the pair spent the rest of the evening looking at the Hawaiian sunset. Ren sighed in contentment. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Makoto seemed to echo that sentiment, to an extent. "Yes, it's breathtaking." After a few moments more of silence, she finally decided to push the question on him. "Uh, Ren? There's something I want to ask you..."

"Yes, dear?" He smiled with that smartass look of his that she still loved.

Makoto grinned briefly and shook her head before continuing. "What are your thoughts on having children?"

Ren stiffened, then turned bright red. "Kids?"

She panicked, then quickly waved her hands in denial. Maybe she had suggested it too soon after the wedding. "Sorry, I was just wondering for the future. It's okay if you don't want any. Frankly, with my job and all, I doubt we'd be able to give them adequate time with us. Also, there's your job as a lawyer, so taking that into account as well-"

"I-" Ren cleared his throat, causing her to pause. "I'm fine with having kids. Sure, with my job as a lawyer and yours as a detective, spending time with them would be hard, but I think we could do it. We'd just have to get a sitter every now and then and be sure to take time off for them."

"Then", she moved closer to him, "you wouldn't mind it if we had kids of our own?"

He flashed that Joker grin again. "Definitely. Not now, of course, I want to wait a bit before we do, but I would love to have a couple of mini-Niijimas with you."

Makoto chuckled, brushing her lips against his cheek. "How about a couple Amamiyas, hmm?"

It was Ren's turn to chuckle. "How about a Niijima and an Amamiya? A girl and a boy. How does that sound?"

Makoto bit her lip again. "God, you do know how to get me on board." She smiled. "Alright, two children, one boy and one girl. Both looking as gorgeous as their mother."

"With at least a bit of their father's cocky attitude sprinkled in, for good measure."

She laid her head against his chest. "So, you admit you're cocky?"

"Sprinkles of it, but yes." He smiled as they leaned in to kiss each other for a couple minutes.

After those couple minutes of making out, they broke apart, Makoto with a mischievous look on her face. "Well, we can still do...other things without having kids, yes?"

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what did you have in mind, Mrs. Amamiya?"

She leaned in close, whispering in his ear. "Why don't we go back to the hotel room and I can show you, Mr. Amamiya?"

Ren grinned, lifting her up bridal style as he got up from his seat.

"Eh?! Ren, wait, put me down! People will see!"

He laughed, kissing her cheek as he did so. "Makoto, barely anyone's here right now. I think we're fine on the way to the room."

"Oh." Makoto blushed. "Well, in that case, you could take your time getting there. I can't guarantee the same surprise will be waiting there, though..."

In response, Ren quickened his pace to their room. They got to the hotel room in no time at all, with a few bashful looks from the other residents that did see them. "Jeez, Ren", Makoto laughed, "slow down a little bit."

Ren flashed the Joker grin once again, gently laying her down on the bed. "I love you, Makoto."

She smiled at how gentle he was. "I love you, too, Ren."

The rest of that evening and the subsequent time they spent there was a secret between the two of them, even long after the beans would be born, and they would cherish that time between each other for the rest of their days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, I can't write explicit smut.
> 
> Come back tomorrow for the end of Shumako Week!
> 
> Feedback and kudos are appreciated!
> 
> Until then!


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